A religious image of hope and confusion seems apt as I contemplate the advice, and there is plenty of it, about how to connect with agents and how to get published. Then there is the sub-genre, if you will, of cautionary guidance about what to avoid and how to spot the red flags of the hangers-on of the publishing world. This work of getting my little piece of joy of a children’s book published, let alone noticed, is a job - albeit unpaid - of its own.

Like dipping one’s foot in the water before a mile swim or taking the first step of a hike or, maybe a better analogy, dragging oneself out of bed in the middle of the night in order to get to an early morning flight, one must push oneself to start.

Frozen is BS. Start taking some of that advice, looking at those lists, researching agents and publishers. Begin. This might be a silly book, a little something to bring a smile to a child, for that child to share some laughs, to learn a bit, while sitting in the lap of someone who loves them - just one kernel of joy and connection, but that one bit is its own important piece of the universe. Go girl!